Blueberry plant named &#39;Sevilla&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct Blueberry cultivar is provided that is the product of a controlled breeding program followed by selection. The cultivar flowers and forms fruit at late-season. The attractive large light blue flattened-round berries exhibit an aromatic sweet flavor. It is recommended that the plant be grown in dry climates outside tunnels. The plant commonly requires cross pollination, and displays a generally open-round somewhat sprawling growth habit with attractive foliage that commonly defoliates during the winter. A low chilling requirement is also exhibited.

BOTANICAL/COMMERCIAL CLASSIFICATION

Vaccinium corymbosum L./Blueberry Plant

VARIETAL DENOMINATION

cv. Sevilla

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new Blueberry cultivar of the present invention was the product of controlled artificial pollination carried out in a greenhouse at Greenwood, Fla., U.S.A., wherein two parents were crossed which previously had been studied in the hope that they would contribute the desired characteristics. The female parent (i.e., the seed parent) was the unreleased ‘FL 98-19’ cultivar (non-patented in the United States). The male parent (i.e., pollen parent) was the ‘Millennia’ cultivar (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,816). The parentage of the new cultivar can be summarized as follows:

‘FL 98-19’×‘Millennia’.

The seeds resulting from the pollination were shipped to Almonte, Huelva, Spain, where they sown during approximately 1999, small plants were obtained which were physically and biologically different from each other and selective research of the progeny was carried out. Selective study during the spring of 2003 resulted in the identification of a single plant of the new cultivar. This plant initially was designated S03-08-04.

It was found that the new Blueberry plant of the present invention displays the following combination of characteristics:

-   -   (a) flowers and forms fruit at late-season,     -   (b) displays a generally open-round somewhat sprawling growth         habit with attractive foliage that commonly defoliates during         the winter,     -   (c) commonly requires cross pollination for a good fruit set and         quality,     -   (d) displays a low chilling requirement, and     -   (e) forms in abundance attractive large light blue         flattened-round berries that exhibit an aromatic sweet flavor.

The new cultivar well meets the needs of the horticultural industry and can be grown to advantage for the commercial production of blueberries. The plant is recommended for growing in dry climates outside tunnels while using non-evergreen management.

The new cultivar of the present invention can be distinguished from its ancestors and all other Blueberry cultivars known to its originators. When compared to the ‘Misty’ cultivar (non-patented in the United States), the ‘Misty’ cultivar forms considerably smaller berries of approximately 14 mm in diameter. When compared to the ‘Star’ cultivar (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,675), the ‘Star’ cultivar commonly displays a taller more upright growth habit, and is less susceptible to Stem Blight. When compared to the ‘Sharpblue’ cultivar (non-patented in the United States), the ‘Sharpblue’cultivar displays evergreen foliage that is well retained during the winter, does not require cross-pollination, and is less resistant to aphids.

The new cultivar has been asexually reproduced by the rooting of cuttings beginning during the summer of 2003 at Almonte, Huelva, Spain. Such asexual propagation has shown that the characteristics of the new cultivar are firmly fixed and are stably transmitted from one generation to another. Accordingly, the new cultivar asexually reproduces in a true-to-type manner.

The new cultivar has been named ‘Sevilla’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show in color as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color illustrations of this character, typical plants and plant parts of the new cultivar. The plants which had been asexually reproduced by the rooting of softwood cuttings, and were being grown outdoors at Almonte, Huelva, Spain.

FIG. 1 shows an overall view of a typical fruiting plants of the new cultivar where the generally open-round somewhat sprawling growth habit is illustrated.

FIG. 2 shows typical berries of the new cultivar in various stages of maturity as well as the foliage.

FIG. 3 shows the upper (adaxial) surfaces of typical leaves of the new cultivar.

FIG. 4 shows the under (abaxial) surfaces of typical leaves of the new cultivar.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The chart used in the identification of the colors described herein is the R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England. Ordinary color terms are to be accorded their customary dictionary significance. The description is based on the observation of approximately four-year-old plants of the new cultivar which had been asexually reproduced by the rooting of softwood cuttings while growing outdoors at Almonte, Huelva, Spain.

-   Plant:     -   -   Growth habit.—generally open-round and semi-sprawling.         -   Height.—approximately 1.7 m at 4 years of age.         -   Width.—approximately 4.6 m at 4 years of age.         -   Foliage retention.—defoliates during the winter commonly             with approximately 70 percent defoliation.         -   Chill requirement.—less than approximately 300 hours. -   Foliage:     -   -   Shape.—generally elliptic (as illustrated).         -   Length.—commonly approximately 61 mm on average.         -   Width.—commonly approximately 37 mm on average.         -   Apex.—acute.         -   Base.—acute.         -   Margin.—entire.         -   Texture.—glabrous and non-glandular.         -   Color.—Green Group 137C on the upper (adaxial) surface, and             Green Group 138B on the under (abaxial) surface. -   Flowers:     -   -   Time.—late-season, at Almonte, Huelva, Spain, with first             flower commonly at approximately January 30^(th), and 50             percent bloom at approximately March 20^(th).         -   Number.—commonly approximately 7 flowers per bud on average.         -   Petals.—5 in number and fused into a corolla tube.         -   Fertility.—commonly not self-fertile.         -   Fragrance.—light. -   Fruit:     -   -   Time.—commonly from approximately April 30 ^(th) to June             20^(th) at Almonte, Huelva, Spain (i.e., approximately 7             weeks).         -   Shape.—generally flattened-round.         -   Height.—commonly approximately 14 mm on average.         -   Width.—commonly approximately 22 mm on average.         -   Weight.—approximately 3.95 g/berry on average when plants             were 4 years of age.         -   Fruit scar.—approximately 2.3 mm in size, and relatively             deep.         -   Immature color.—commonly near Green Group 142C with bloom,             and Yellow-Green Group 145A without bloom.         -   Mature color.—light blue, Violet-Blue Group 95D with bloom,             and Black Group 202A without bloom.         -   Productivity.—abundant, approximately 3.57 Kg/plant on             average when plants were 4 years of age.         -   Flavor.—displays an aromatic sweet flavor. -   Development:     -   -   Ability to store.—the fruit stores fairly well under             refrigeration, when stored at 8° C. approximately 80 percent             of the berries are of good quality 7 days after harvest, and             when stored at 20° C. approximately 70 percent of the             berries are of good quality 7 days after harvest.         -   Disease tolerance.—no special sensitivity to common             Blueberry diseases. such as Leaf Rust (Pucciniastrum             vaccinii) and Botrytis (Botrytis cinerea) has been             encountered during observations to date at Almonte, Huelva,             Spain. During observations to date the new cultivar is less             susceptible to Leaf Rust than the ‘Blue Crisp’ cultivar, and             is less resistant to Stem Blight than the ‘Star’ cultivar.         -   Insects.—is susceptible to aphids and thrips.         -   Cultural conditions.—is well suited for growing in dry             climate areas outside tunnels while utilizing non-evergreen             management.

Plants of the ‘Sevilla’ cultivar have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions to date, Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotypic expression may vary somewhat with changes in light intensity and duration, cultural practices, and other environmental conditions without variance in the genotype. 

1. A new and distinct Blueberry plant that possesses the following combination of characteristics: (a) flowers and forms fruit at late-season, (b) displays a open-round somewhat sprawling growth habit with attractive foliage that commonly defoliates during the winter, (c) commonly requires cross pollination for good fruit set and quality, (d) displays a low chilling requirement, and (e) forms in abundance attractive large light blue flattened-round berries that exhibit an aromatic sweet flavor; substantially as herein shown and described. 